Tongs with work holding jaws



Febl 9, 1954 J. I. BOTICKI 2,668,733

TONGS WITH WORK HOLDING JAWS Filed Feb. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENTOR.

John I. Boiicki.

7 A77 RNEY Feb. 9, 1954 J. 1. BOTICKI TONGS WITH WORK HOLDING JAWS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 20, 1952 ATT RNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to tongs and more particularly to tongs of the type normally carried by cranes and used in handling various articles such as pipes, tubes, rods, bars and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a tongs with work engaging and holding jaw constructions.

A. further object of the invention is the provision of a simple and inexpensive tong construction incorporating movable and fixed jaw pieces.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a tongs including cam means for exerting tension on an article in the jaws thereof. The tongs disclosed herein comprise an improvement in the art relating to such devices in that they are provided with oppositely disposed jaws movable toward and away from each other and have a separate jaw piece movable therebetween so arranged as to automatically engage an article in the jaws and to be tensioned thereagainst by the closing action of the jaws.

The tongs are able to grasp an article automatically by being positioned thereover and allowed to move downwardly with respect thereto and upon being elevated will engage the article so as to hold the same firmly and under a degree of tension rendering the article incapable of accidental dislocation from the jaws of the tongs.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an end view of the tongs in position on a small tubular article.

Figure 2 is an end view of thetongs in position on a relatively larger tubular article.

Figure 3 is an end view of the tongs in open position with respect to a tubular article.

Figure 4 is a side view taken on line l-l of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the tongs shown in Figures 1 through By referring to the drawings and Figures 1 and 4 in particular it will be observed that the tongs comprise a pair of oppositely disposed, arcuate jaws I9 and II, each of which has oppositely disposed, upwardly and inwardly inclined pairs of extensions 12 and i3, respectively. The extensions l2 and I3 are positioned on the jaws l0 and l i so that their uppermost ends lie on a common longitudinally extending center line and the extensions 12 and I3 are, therefore, located in longitudinally spaced relation on the jaws I0 and II, respectively.

The upper ends of the pairs of extensions [2 and it are apertured and a pivot bolt I4 is positioned longitudinally therethrough so that the jaws it and H are pivoted to one another thereby. The jaws to and II are also provided with vertically extending arms [5 and I6, respectively, the arm i5 preferably comprising a single thickness of metal formed with an inwardly inclined uppermost portion I5A which in turn is further inwardly inclined at its uppermost end as at [5B and which uppermost end 1513 forms a manipulating handle. The inclined portion I5A of the arm it extends through the lower portion of an eyelet member ii and beneath a transverse bar,

IlA thereof.

The upwardly extending arms IS on the jaw l I is formed of a pair of spaced sections of material It and liiA having their upper portions inturned in oppositely disposed relation to the inturned section ItA of the arm 15 and indicated in the drawings by the numeral H513. The uppermost ends of the spaced arm I6 and 16A are joined by an inverted U-shaped end construction I and the inclined sections IGB pass through the eyelet member ll below the transverse bar liA thereof as will best be seen by referring to Figure 4 of the drawings. The inclined portion [5A of the arm H5 is positioned between the spaced portions it and [6A of the arm 16.

It will thus be seen that the arms l5 and I6 cross one another in the area of the eyelet IT, as best shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, and that the lower portion of the eyelet l1 forms a pivot area for the arms l5 and H5 which enables them to be moved by raising and lowering the eyelet ll. For example, when the eyelet I1 is lowered, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings,'the transverse bar I'iA will engage the upper surfaces of the arms l5 and IE and cause them to move outwardly in opposite direction to one another, which motion will cause the jaws IO and l i to move away from one another.

When the eyelet I! is moved upwardly, the lower part of the eyelet I! will engage: the lower surfaces of the arms l5 and I6 and cause them to move in an opposite direction thereby acting to close the jaws I0 and H, as shown in Figures 3 1 and 2 of the drawings. Thus, the opening and closing of the jaws I and II may be controlled by raising and lowering the tongs and in practice this is achieved by raising and lowering the connecting portions of a crane carrying the tongs.

In order that an article to be held by the tongs may be secured in the jaws m and II, a clamping piece I8 is mounted between the jaws I0 and I Iand comprisesan elongated bodymember of inverted V'-shape. in cross section having spaced vertical extensions I9I9 thereon which are provided with vertically positioned slots 20- 20. The pivot bolt I l heretofore referred to passes through the slots 20-26 in the extensions Iii-49 and thereby secures the; clamping piece I8 in the tong assembly; The outer opposite sides of each of the extensions; Ill -I 9 are provided with rack-like cam surfaces 2.I.-2I (as best shown in Figure 5 of, the drawings) and the upper innermost opposed portions of the jaws Ill and II are pointed as at 2222 for registry with the rack-like cam surfaces 2I2 I on the extensions Iii-I9 of the clamping piece I8.

It will thus be. seen that when the jaws I-lI and II are widely apart, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the clamping piece. It is free to move vertically and it will therefore engage any article over which the jaws I0 and I I are positioned. For example, when a smaller article such as shown in Figure 1 is to be engaged by the tongs,

the jaws I30 and II are lowered thereagainst and permitted to slide downwardly over the opposite sides of the article, which action. occurs by reason of the angular formation of the lower outer portions 23123 of the jaws: [0' and I I'.

As the jaws Ill and II move downwardly and apart, the pointed ends 22-22 of the jaws I0 and: II disengage the rack-like cam surfaces 2 I 21 V and permit the clamping piece I8 to move downwardly into engagement with the upper sur face of the article being engaged; Vertical movement of the tongs will then cause the lower portion of the eyelet I1 to engage the arms I5 and I6-. and. move them upwardly and pivot the jaws I0 and II toward one another thereby closing them on the article and at the same time engaging the pointed} ends 22'22' of the jaws on the appropriate cam surfaces of the rack-like cams 2'I1'2!. This action tensions the clamping piece I8 against the article being engaged and holds it securely against the lower portions of the jaws I0 and II which have moved beneath the article. This same operationtakes. place regardless of the size or shape of the article being engaged and it will be observed that it is entirely automatic.

It will thus be seen that an article such as a section of pipe, as illustrated in the several figures of the drawings, maybe engaged by the tongs clamped therein by the clamping piece I8 and safely transported by the crane carrying the tongs with no danger of the pipe becoming disengaged and rendering the heretofore believed necessary chains, cables, etc., entirely unnecessary.

It will thus be seen that the several objects of the invention have been met by the tongs with work holding jaws disclosed herein.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a tongs with work holding jaws for handling pipes and the like, a pair of cooperating jaws and a pivot for pivotally connecting said jaws: together,, a pair of tong; arms aflixed to said jaws. bBlQW said. pivotal. connection, said tong arms loosely connected together above said pivotal connection and clamping means movably disposed between said jaws on said pivot, stationary formations on said jaws for registry with said, clamping; means when said jaws are closed.

2. The tongs with work holding jaws set forth in claim: 1- wherein. said jaws are arcuate in shape with theupper innermost edges thereof pointed to define said formations engageable with said clamping means.

3 The tongs with work holding jaws set forth in claim 1 and wherein the clamping means com prises a body member having vertical slotted extensions thereon slidabl'y engaged on the pivot portions of said jaws and having cam racks on their opposite outer edges.

1. In a tongs having work engaging jaws, a pair of oppositely disposed arcuate jaws, inwardly and upwardly formed extensions thereon, a pivot connecting said extensions to one another, tong arms positioned on said jaws below said extensions and extending upwardly with respect thereto and crossed thereabove, an eyelet about. said tong' arms at theirpoint of crossing, a clamp-- ing' member having slotted vertical extensions thereon loosely positioned between said jaws and engaged on said pivot, cam racks on the opposite outer sides of said vertical extensions and fixed cam rack engaging formations on said jaws.

5. The tongs with work holding jaws set forth in claim 4 wherein the tong arms comprise one arm on one jaw and a spaced pair of arms onthe other jaw with said one armpassing between said spaced pair of arms at their point of cross-* mg;

6. The tongs with work' holding jaws set forth in claim 4 and wherein said eyelet has a transverse bar dividing it into upper and lower portions and wherein said tong arms are crossed and positioned through said eyelet below said transverse bar.

JOHN I. BO'I'ICKI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 715,746 Boax Dec. 16, 1902 1,753,181 Grinnel Apr. 1, I930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 185,588 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1922 

